Video: Fitting frames to different types of text content

Can there be any topic more exciting than text frame fitting? I think not, especially if you are a neat freak like me. For example, do you see the problem with this page? I see. It's screaming at me. Look at this frame. Look at all this empty space. Well, the ability to fit the frame to the text content has been around for a number of versions of InDesign, but until CS6, the only way that it worked was on these plain-Jane frames like this one, rectangular frames with just text, nothing overlapping and nothing crazy going on inside.

InDesign CS6 is dedicated to improving workflow, document distribution, and flexibility. This course provides in-depth exploration of the new features in InDesign CS6, showing not just where they are and how to use them, but also tips, workarounds, and practical applications of the features. Author Anne-Marie Concepción introduces the Liquid Layout tools and Alternate Layouts for creating flexible layouts for both print and digital publishing; the enhanced tools for creating and updating linked objects within and between documents; the Content Collector and Content Placer tools; and the introduction of EPUB 3. The course also covers creating interactive PDF forms, using the new primary text frame, previewing and exporting color layouts to grayscale, and utilizing the new production aids such as aligning selections to a key object and using smart math in panel fields.

Fitting frames to different types of text content

Can there be any topic more exciting than text frame fitting?I think not, especially if you are a neat freak like me.For example, do you see the problem with this page?I see. It's screaming at me. Look at this frame. Look at all this empty space.Well, the ability to fit the frame to the text content has been around for anumber of versions of InDesign, but until CS6, the only way that it worked wason these plain-Jane frames like this one, rectangular frames with just text,nothing overlapping and nothing crazy going on inside.

So if you had one like this, instead of having to go to all the trouble ofdragging this guy up, you could go to the Object menu or right-click, go toFitting and choose Fit Frame to Content, or you've probably memorized thiskeyboard shortcut, which is Command+ Option+C on a Mac or Ctrl+Alt+C on Windows,which will automatically do the same thing as what I like to do is justdouble-clicking the frame handle to roll it right up like a Venetian blind, nice and neat.That, combined with InDesign's new ability to automatically auto-size frames,means that I am in heaven, but that I covered in a different video.

Let's go and talk about some of the new frame-fitting features.Well, actually, what they have done is they have expanded where that command will work.So we are not just limited to the plain-vanilla kind of frames. Like lookat this monster here.Here we have a three-column single frame with a span and if I just double-clickon the bottom handle, boom!It basically balances the columns as best as it can.There is probably some keep settings that are preventing it from getting reallyclose, but that is incredible that they were able to do that.I am going to undo.

This time let's throw a text wrap at it.All right, now I have a big fat text wrap. That's a little too much.I want to fit some text here. There we go!Let's try that one more time.Select this. This time I will press the keyboard shortcut, Command+Option+Cor Ctrl+Alt+C. Boom! Not a problem.That's amazing.You'll get so spoiled by this, immediately.I have a couple of other examples for you.Here we have three threaded frames.I turned on Show Text Threads, so you can see three single-column frames thatare threaded together.Now in previous versions, all you were able to do would be to fit the final frameto the contents, but now you can fit any frame in the middle to contents.

Like let's say this guy, see I put a little--I am going to click rightbefore the word textile and I am going to press the Enter key on my keyboard,which is the keyboard shortcut to jump to the next frame, and now this is buggingme, this empty space down here.So I am going to click here and double-click, boom! There it went up! A-ha!How about this?Here is one of my famous blobs.I am well known for creating beautiful blobs with the Pen tool. And then I turnedit into a text frame and filled it with text and gave it a background color, andof course, I couldn't stop myself and I made a drop shadow.If we look at this in Preview mode, you can see how beautiful that is and if youlike, you can purchase that work of art from me.

But anyway, what I want to show is how this even works withnonrectangular frames.Now, this is as nonrectangular as you can get.If I swipe out a bunch of text, switch to my Selection tool, and double-clickthe text frame, boom! I love that!Look at that! So, a cool little feature.Some people really don't care; some people like me really care a lot. And I love it.

Learn by watching, listening, and doing, Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along Premium memberships include access to all exercise files in the library.

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Learn by watching, listening, and doing! Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along. Exercise files are available with all Premium memberships.
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